Bulgogi Rice Bowl

Ingredients

• 1 pound lean ground beef
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• ¼ cup brown sugar
• ¼ cup soy sauce
• ¼ cup water
• ½ Asian pear, grated
• 5 cloves garlic, minced, or more to taste
• 1 inch piece ginger, peeled and diced
• 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 cup cooked brown rice, or more to taste
• 1 head romaine lettuce, chopped, or to taste
• 1 cucumber, diced
• 1 red bell pepper, diced, or to taste (Optional)
• 1 tablespoon sesame seeds, or to taste (Optional)

Step 1

Gently heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the beef and cook it, breaking it up as it browns, for about 5 to 7 minutes. Once it's cooked through, drain off any excess grease and stir in a little sesame oil for extra flavor.

Step 2

Toss the brown sugar, soy sauce, water, Asian pear, garlic, ginger, red pepper flakes, and black pepper into a food processor. Pulse everything together until it's mostly smooth but still has a bit of texture. Pour this sauce over the beef in the skillet and let it simmer over medium heat until most of the liquid has evaporated, which should take around 7 to 9 minutes.

Step 3

To serve, spoon a quarter of the cooked brown rice into a bowl, then add a generous helping of the beef mixture on top. Finish each bowl with some fresh lettuce, sliced cucumber, red bell pepper, and a sprinkle of sesame seeds. Repeat these steps for the remaining servings, and enjoy!